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Welcome to the first post-San Diego version of Weekend Reading. I’m not linking to any convention reports because, well, other people do a much better job of tracking them all down. However, I will link to this. Mark Evanier does a much better job than I ever could of explaining how the Hollywood invasion of Comic Con International is not only necessary but welcome.

Spurgeon V. Field: There are many reasons why Tom Spurgeon won the Eisner this year at San Diego. This is one of the reasons why he should win it next year, too.

iPad: If you’re thinking of getting one, Beau Smith can make that decision easier for you.

Up, Up, And Away He Goes: James Bond and Superman screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz has passed away. Says The Guardian‘s classy obit: “In 1977 the director Richard Donner recruited Mankiewicz to work on the script of Superman, for which he received the credit of creative consultant, a fancy name for script doctor.”

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I know, the title is a little mundane; it was either that or ‘how to torture others with your terrible taste in music’ but that wasn’t very product-descriptive. Not only can you use this shirt, complete with embedded speaker and pocket-remote, as an attempt to turn yourself into Jack Spade from ‘I’m Gonna Get You, Sucka!’ but you can also use their pre-loaded sound-effects to pepper your work-day with fart noises and boing-boings. It’s all your choice. Only $30 and 4AAA batteries and you’re off to the very annoying races.

Stan Lee has made a pretty good hobby out of appearing in projects based on Marvel Comics. It’s a fun, and not too distracting, game to try to figure out if Stan will be showing up in a crowd scene, a cocktail party, a press conference or other setting where he can do his cameo, fulfill his Screen Actor’s Guild obligations, and eat the free lunch at break time.

On March 1, Stan appeared as himself on the fanboy favorite, The Big Bang Theory, probably the best sitcom currently on the air, thanks to creator-producer Chuck Lorre, co-creator-producer Bill Prady, and the rest of their talented staff of producers and writers. In “The Excelsior Acquisition,” the cast is excited about Stan’s appearance at the local comic book store, but Sheldon misses it when he gets tossed in jail for contempt while defending his traffic ticket. Naturally, when he gets out, he takes advantage of an opportunity to make the pilgrimage to Stan’s house. Stan acquits himself quite well and there are laughs galore. It’s a great use of stunt-casting and it’s packed with jokes that reveal the writers as fans of Marvel Comics, not posers. Well done, all!